ADMINISTRATIVE MESSAGE
ROUTINE
R 101423Z MAR 00 ZYB MIN PSN 174151J19
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
TO NAVADMIN
UNCLAS //N01740//
NAVADMIN 049/00
MSGID/GENADMIN/OJAG-36//
SUBJ/STREAMLINED U.S. CITIZENSHIP APPLICATION PROCESS//
RMKS/1. APPROXIMATELY 12,500 ACTIVE-DUTY SAILORS ARE NON-U.S.
CITIZENS. THOSE SERVING FOR AT LEAST THREE YEARS ARE ELIGIBLE
FOR NATURALIZATION. ONCE THEY BECOME U.S. CITIZENS, THESE
SAILORS BENEFIT BY RECEIVING INCREASED OPPORTUNITIES FOR
ASSIGNMENT AND ADVANCEMENT.
2. THE IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE (INS), IN CONCERT
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND MILITARY SERVICES, HAS
STREAMLINED THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR MILITARY SERVICEMEMBERS.
INS DESIGNATED ITS LINCOLN, NEBRASKA OFFICE AS THE SOLE
PROCESSING CENTER FOR ALL MILITARY APPLICATIONS. IT IS
ANTICIPATED THAT THE NATURLIZATION PROCESS, WHICH PREVIOUSLY
TOOK 18-24 MONTHS TO COMPLETE, IF NOT LONGER, CAN BE REDUCED TO
AS LITTLE AS THREE TO FOUR MONTHS.
3. THIS STREAMLINED PROCESS REQUIRES LOCAL COMMANDS TO TAKE AN
ACTIVE ROLE IN PROCESSING CITIZENSHIP APPLICATIONS. COMMANDING
OFFICERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR APPOINTING A COMMAND REPRESENTATIVE
TO OVERSEE THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THEIR SAILORS. THE "U.S.
NAVY GUIDE TO NATURALIZATION APPLICATIONS BASED UPON QUALIFYING
MILITARY SERVICE" PROVIDES DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE COMMAND
REPRESENTATIVE. AN ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS NAVY GUIDE MAY BE
DOWNLOADED FROM THE PERS-33 WEBSITE AT
HTTP://WWW.BUPERS.NAVY.MIL/PERS33/NATUR.HTM, AND HARD COPIES ARE
AVAILABLE AT LOCAL NAVAL LEGAL SERVICE OFFICES. COMMAND
REPRESENTATIVES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR: CONDUCTING APPLICATION (INS
FORM N-400) QUALITY CONTROL CHECKS; ARRANGING FOR FINGERPRINTING
AT AUTHORIZED APPLICATION SERVICE CENTERS; COORDINATING WITH
PSD/PERSONNEL OFFICES TO COMPLETE CERTIFICATES OF MILITARY OR
NAVAL SERVICE (INS FORM N-426); ENSURING THE BIOGRAPHIC
INFORMATION FORM (INS FORM G-325B) IS MAILED TO THE OFFICE OF
THE JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL (CODE 36); AND, FORWARDING THE
COMPLETED APPLICATION PACKAGE TO CENTRAL MILITARY PROCESSING
UNIT AT LINCOLN, NEBRASKA. THOSE SERVICEMEMBERS WITH
NATURALIZATION PACKAGES CURRENTLY PENDING AT INS SERVICE OFFICES
OTHER THAN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA MAY OBTAIN ADVICE REGARDING WHETHER
TO RE-SUBMIT THEIR PACKAGES BY CONTACTING MESSAGE POC.
4. THE LEGAL ASSISTANCE DIVISION, OFFICE OF THE JUDGE ADVOCATE
GENERAL (CODE 36) HAS OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROGRAM.
ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE REGARDING NATURALIZATION LAWS,
REGULATIONS, AND PROCEDURES ARE AVAILABLE AT (202) 433-4643/DSN 325.
5. RELEASED BY VADM N. R. RYAN, JR., N1.//
BT